The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-07-23

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selves in whatever sense it might be
taken. We cut ourselves off in this
manner, from any common terms with
the anointed men Of Scripture and
Scripture times. They belong to an
other tier of existence with which we
can not dare to claim affinity and so
we become a class unprivileged, shut
down to kind of secondhand life,
feeding on their words. The result is,
we are occupied almost wholly with
secondhand relations to God. Our
views of life are low and earthly, be-
cause our possibilities are low.
The apostles and all Scripture writers
are really set between us and God to
keep us away, not before us as exam
pies to help US on" This is their true
Office. They are not barriers but helps.
They are not distractions thrown
across our pathway, with which we
must stop; they are guides who lead
us to the source of their own life and
light.
The divine influence upon the human
spirit is always one and the same in
kind, however it may vary in degree
and direction. He moves and the soul
is exalted. In that exalted state, it
sees visions and hears words that come
not at other times. In some cases,
there is loftier and clearer vision of
God. Some souls are lifted higher
than others. In some the divine i'm
pulse moves in one direction and in
some another. There are inequalities,
indeed; but the force and method are
one. We do not say that the largest
and most magnificent rose upon the
bush is produced by some totally differ
ent force from that which brought the
lower and less perfect ones to bloom.
The same dissolving SHOWS run down
in streams upon different sides Of the
mountain. lone star differeth from
another star in glory" but they are all
the work Of ''thy fingers, the work
Of one hand. 'There are diversities
of gifts, but the same spirit; and there
are differences of administrations but
the same Lord; and there are diversi-
ties Of operations but it is the same
God that worketh all and in ALL
There is one God operating everywhere
and always. Whatever appears excep-
tional and cratic must finally be found
to be in harmony with every other fact.
The seeming marvel is after all one
with the orbits of the planets and the
procession of the seasons.
(4) This is the unifyiDg thought in
all history. God ever present and act.
i've. This binds us in true brother
hood with all who have gone before
This showsu US divine hand in our own
history as we'll as in that of Israel
This shows us God at work enlighten-
ing in some measure certainly Other
nations and races; Gentiles to the
Jews, heather to us-never leaving
them without witness" dwelling in
them though unseen and unknown
purifying and sanctifying the temple
of their hearts, sending CLEANS of ILL
uminating light through the gross
darkness that encompassed them, COM
forting their uncertainties, making in.
tercessions for them with groanings
which cannot be uttered"
! This view shows us the Pilgrims
moved by as divine an impulse as that
which sent Abraham out from Chaldea
to become the Father Of a new nation,
and invests Plymouth Rock with a
glory like that which shone about Alb
raham's oak at Moreb, or Jacobs altar
at Bethel. The raising up of Luther
is seen to be Gods work as much as
the raising up of jeremiah; that of
! Washington and Lincoln as that of
Moses and Joshua. God did not tune
the harp of David and leave Shakes
peare and Milton to themselves. When
we read that Bezaleel was inspired
when he was "filled with the spirit of
God and in wisdom and in understand
ing to devise cunning works, to work
in gold and in silver, and in brass, and
in cutting Of stones to set them, and in
carving of timber" we carry that same
inspiration abroad to Phidias and Prax-
iteles and down to Angelo and Raphael.
But in humber spheres does the d.
vine influence breathe upon the spirit
in man. "Holy day or holy place. D
exclaims one there is no such thing.
A holy man and woman or a holy
spirit, but no holy time or spot save
that hallowed by a righteous act. y
Was that sacred ground where the bush
famed before the face of Moses? Aye,
but that is also sacred ground touched
by the feet of him who hastens to dc
good where love meets us; where
high resolves are taken; where the
voice of duty is obeyed where burdens
are borne for the sake of others; where
patience has her perfect work where
the weary soul rests upon the bosom of
infinite peace The inspiration Of the
Almighty is in it all. This is our COM
fort and hope. This thought turns the
humblest cottage into a temple as
proud as SOlOmon's, and makes for the